The Association for Contemporary Jewellery announces new Chair and Board roles
The ACJ are delighted to welcome Rebecca Skeels as Chair from 1st June 2026. Rebecca previously served on the board of directors for over a decade and brings a wealth of experience to the role.
Rebecca is Course Director and Senior Lecturer at the School of Jewellery at Birmingham City University in BA honours Jewellery and Objects. She started her jewellery business in 1994 after graduating from the University of Wales, followed by an MA Project by Design from CSM and a PGC in Higher Education from UCA. Rebecca is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Rebecca Skeels said: “Stepping into this role is a distinct honour and privilege. My goal is to build upon the strong foundation that Terry is leaving in our hands, to navigate the challenges and opportunities ahead. We hope this will be the Associations most ambitious chapter yet”.
We also welcome Melanie Eddy and Anne Earls Boylan as Deputy Chairs, who will work with Rebecca on our ongoing strategy ensuring we stay relevant to our community. Melanie and Anne both run their own creative businesses, alongside careers in education.
ACJ would like to thank outgoing Chair Terry Hunt for all he has done to champion and support our sector.
Terry Hunt graduated from the Central School in 1969, becoming a jewellery designer-maker. For over 50 years he has explored surface pattern and colour predominantly using titanium and anodised aluminium. Recently his work has included larger sculptures in coloured plastics.
He began teaching at Birmingham City University in 1971, becoming the Deputy Head of School at the School of Jewellery in 1998, staying there until 2010.
Continuing his support for the jewellery sector, he went onto become the Chair of ACJ in 2010, where he has remained for the last 16 years, steering the work of the Association and creating a community that welcomes everyone with an interest in contemporary jewellery. Leading on the governance at ACJ, he has dedicated his time to support successive teams of directors and mentored Early Career Representatives. Terry will stay on the board as a director.
Terry Hunt said: “It’s been a great privilege to serve the Association for so long and to be involved with so many wonderful, creative people. Regarding legacy, I’m glad we have continuing members’ exhibitions and, as well as many UK-wide regional groups, we still attract members from across the world. My best wishes to Rebecca, Mel and Anne.”
In 2026 Rebecca became a Guardian of the Standard of Wrought Plate:
‘Established by an Act of Parliament in 1773, the company is The Guardians of the Standard of Wrought Plate in Birmingham and trades as The Birmingham Assay Office. The company formed without share capital, and without legal directors, operates under a distinctive corporate structure overseen by a group of 36 elected Guardians of the Standard of Wrought Plate in Birmingham. This unique governance model sets us apart from traditional assay offices, as the Guardians play a pivotal role as custodians of the company to ensure the integrity and success of our operations. Wardens, elected by the Guardians act as officers of the Company and are responsible for the essential oversight of the Office, led by the CEO and Assay Master.
Mandated by the Birmingham Assay Office Order of 1989, the Office is required to be self-sustaining, generating all its revenues through commercial activities, initially restricted only to Assaying and Hallmarking. The Birmingham Assay Office Act of 1995, enabled the Office to diversify its business activities beyond its traditional role. The elected Guardians hold the responsibility of safeguarding the Office, and their duties encompass various tasks defined in the legislation and the Corporate Governance Policy.’
In February 2024 Rebecca attended the National Association of Jewellers (NAJ) special 23-person industry-wide roundtable, bringing together all facets of the UK Jewellery, Silverware and Allied Crafts sectors, to meet with Sir Chris Bryant MP, Shadow Minister for Creative and Digital, part of the Department for Digital, Media Culture and Sport (DCMS). Since then the group has been meeting, planning and developing ideas to support, protect and develop the jewellery and allied craft industries. The ‘UK Jewellery, Silverware, and Allied Crafts (UKJSAC) Roundtable’ has been undergoing a variety of activities such as submitting papers to parliament on behalf of the jewellery industry and developing a more formal group for the future.
Also in 2024, Rebecca was voted in to become a member of the Jewellery Quarter Development Trust (JQDT). The Trust established in 2011 as a Community Interest Company constituted and operated for the benefit of the communities in Birmingham’s historic Jewellery Quarter. Its objectives are to improve the economic well-being of the area, provide better amenities, facilities, cultural activities and encourage initiatives to grow a sense of place. Its Members and Directors represent a cross-section of the Jewellery Quarter’s communities.
In 2023, Rebecca attended the Crafts Council Jewellery and Metalwork Roundtable, one of a series of in-person roundtable discussions exploring environmental responsibility with 45 craft businesses and sector organisations, including makers, experts, suppliers, educators, and support organisations. Covering five craft disciplines, these roundtables discussed sustainability as a financially sustainable part of creative practices. Contributing to the ‘How to be more environmentally and financially sustainable in your craft business’ by Caroline Jackman.
Rebecca has been a member of the board of the Trade Advisory Sub-Committee of the Trustees of the Goldsmiths’ Centre (TASC) since March 2022 to give advice and steer the strategic direction of the charity as well as take part in selection panels for training, such as the apprentice scheme.
In 2020/21 Rebecca was awarded a Services to Farnham Award by the Mayor of Farnham, Councillor Pat Evans. The Services to Farnham Awards are given to people who provide an outstanding or crucial service to the community or the people of Farnham. The awards medals are kindly sponsored by the Tindle News Group. Rebecca received the award for her work on Farnham Craft Month, the Arts Council England application and management of the project funding towards the Craft Town England Craft Month project in 2019 and the work on the World Craft City Status Application.
Rebecca was awarded Freedom of the Mystery of The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths in 2019, more commonly known as the Goldsmiths’ Company. It is one of the Twelve Great Livery Companies of the City of London and received its first royal charter in 1327. The purpose of the Goldsmiths’ Company is to contribute to British national life by supporting its related crafts, industry and trade and through wider charitable and educational activity.
In 2019 Rebecca also became a Freeman of the City of London. Today most of the practical reasons for obtaining the Freedom of the City have disappeared. It nevertheless remains as a unique part of London’s history to which many people who have lived or worked in the City have been proud to be admitted.
Rebecca actively contributed to the jewellery and craft professions throughout the UK. As a member of the Board of Directors for fifteen years for the Association for Contemporary Jewellery (ACJ), she was able to network, debate and converse with some of the UK’s leading jewellers. The ACJ is devoted to the promotion, representation, understanding and development of contemporary jewellery. Rebecca built up the Associations online profile by setting up and continually updating five Network pages as well as contributing regularly by writing articles to the recent Findings publication.
Rebecca was a member of the board of trustees at Farnham Maltings. Farnham Maltings is a cultural organisation, based in southwest Surrey, that exists to encourage the people of Farnham and further afield to participate in, shape and understand the world in which we live. We believe that by being actively creative, connecting with others and articulating new ideas we will foster a happier, healthier and more inclusive set of communities.
Rebecca was also an active member of the Surrey Hills Arts Advisory group. Surrey Hills Arts is a partnership with Surrey Arts, Surrey County Council and the Surrey Hills. It aims to engage and inspire people with this outstanding landscape and its unique natural, cultural and industrial heritage through the arts.
Rebecca has been involved in the Craft Council Hothouse programme, firstly taking part in the interview process of applicants, advising during workshops and sessions for the hothouse participants as well as taking part in the 2016 and 2018 selection committee and Mentoring a participant in 2017 and 2019.
As a founder member of the Jewellers and Silversmiths Network Rebecca took the leading role in applying for and winning funding in 2010 to undertake an exchange and run a symposium. The Jewellers and Silversmiths Network (JSN) is a group run by its members for its members to get to know other makers. As members, we enable the group to take advantage of or create opportunities that would not be available to us as individuals. The group regularly exchanges useful information and skills and exhibits as a group allowing people to appreciate and purchase our work.
Rebecca was a member of the Board of Trustees for the New Ashgate Gallery in Farnham. The New Ashgate Gallery is a non-profit educational charity, which promotes contemporary visual arts and crafts to as wide a public as possible. This is achieved through a programme of changing exhibitions, projects with artists, makers, projects of support and development delivered by the trust with local, national and international partnerships and educational events. Rebecca still regularly works with the Director of the New Ashgate Gallery to set up an annual Rising Stars symposium and exhibition event, building on the success each year.
As a past member of the executive committee for the Hand Engravers Association of Great Britain Rebecca contributed to the Associations aims, in 2015 this included running an all-day event called Engraving for All with UK and international talks and all-day workshop activities. The Association aims to reignite an interest and understanding of this rich and diverse skill by raising the profile of hand engraving, education and training.
Rebecca keeps in good contact with the Goldsmiths Centre, the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths, Weston Beamor, British Art Medal Association, the Worshipful Company of Pewterers, Surrey Hills Arts as well as other organisations that have contributed to competitions, commissioning and funding student activities across postgraduate and undergraduate courses.
As part of her lecturer role, Rebecca is regularly part of Teaching and Learning Working groups that undertake a variety of roles from developing the University’s staff and student teaching resources to developing and writing University policies and procedures.
In the past collaborative partnerships were also undertaken and cross-disciplinary activities within the University, for example, working closely with the Widening Participation team on Widening Participation Stars Workshops for disadvantaged children, teachers’ days and special events. This helps recruitment for the course, widens locals’ awareness of events within the University and encourages the younger generation to consider Arts and Crafts for their future careers.
Mentoring as part of programmes or unofficially has been ongoing for many years, mentoring PGC students, new members of staff and small businesses. Rebecca has mentored for the Crafts Council on various occasions and is a mentor for the Goldsmiths Centre to help support micro businesses.